June 15, 2015

It Began Along the Lake

About 14 thousand years ago during the tail end of the
last ice age the area of Lake View Township was under water.

Over three hundred million years ago our area of Illinois was covered with wetlands such as coastal swamps, deltas, and upland forests situated along an estuary bay (probably a much wider Chicago River) - Chicago History Museum

In more recent times, Lake Chicagoalso known as the Glacial Lake Chicago; term used by geologists for a lake that preceded Lake Michigan; was formed when the Wisconsin glacier retreated from the Chicago area, beginning about 14,000 years ago. Lake Chicago`s level, at its highest, was almost 60 feet higher than the level of present Lake Michigan and the lake completely covered the area now occupied by Chicago. Its northern outlet into the St. Lawrence River was still blocked by remnants of the glacier and it drained through the so-called Chicago outlet, a notch in the Valparaiso moraine, into the Mississippi system. Its western shores reached to where Oak Park and La Grange now exist.

As the glacier shrank in stages, the major three of which are often referred to as the Glenwood phase (50 feet above the level of Lake Michigan; c.12,000 years ago), the Calumet phase (35 feet; c.10,000 years ago), and the Tolleston phase (20 feet; less than 8,000 years ago); each left behind many sandy beach ridges. The lake`s southern shores were dammed by the hills of the Tinley-Valparaiso terminal moraine systems; as the glacier retreated farther and cleared the northern outlet, the lake level fell further and Lake Chicago would later be renamed Lake Michigan.

The Native American burial mound apparently was once located between Oakdale & Wellington east of Sheffield.

Early settlers destroyed hundreds if not thousands of
ancient sculptures, along with the historical record. They plowed under mounds
to farm the land or leveled them and built homes on the sites. In some cases,
early settlers claimed to have asked local Native Americans about the origins
of the mounds without receiving a clear answer. John Low, a Potawatomi Indian
and professor of American Indian studies, says he’s suspicious of these
accounts given that they took place during a power struggle over land. “[The
Natives] may have said that because they aren’t going to share with people,
[who] they regard as the enemy, the special-ness they know about a site.” Read more from the above link.

An article about the trails

that formed the settlement of Chicago

(click to enlarge)

People: The Europeans

image - Wikipedia

image - Wikipedia

image - GeoCurrents

The area that we currently call the State of Illinois was once governed by France and called Pais Des Illinois. This territory was referred to as New France by the late 17th century to 1763. The Treaty of Paris of 1763 allowed the British Empire French territory east of the Mississippi River and similarly allowed New France to exist west of the river until 1803.

once part of the Northwest Territory

Rendering of Chicago 1779 that features the first non-native Jean Baptiste De Sable

arrived in the 1600's. The area just north of the existing City of Chicago was described at the time as "a waste of sand and scrub oaks" bordering along the lakefront. Before the European settlements were established Chicago there was a Potawatomi village apparently located in the general area of Fullerton, Lincoln, and Clark Streets as late as the first quarter of the 19th century. By the first quarter of the 19th centurya physical separation and border had been established between the Native American population and the Europeans that existed in the Chicagoland area. The 1833 Treaty of Chicago, which concluded the Blackhawk War, forced the Potawatomi to sell all remaining tribal lands (outside those given in land grants) that forced the removal of all Indiansfrom State of Illinois. With the Potawatomi gone the settlers from the East moved in greater numbers.

"The streets of the village in the fall soon became deluged with mud. It lay in many places half a leg deep, up to the hubs of the carts and wagons, in the middle of the streets, and the only sidewalk we had was a single plank stretched from one building to another. The smaller scholars I used to bring to school and take home on my back, not daring to trust them on the slippery plank. One day I made a misstep and went down into the thick mire with a little one in my arms. With difficulty I regained my foothold, with both overshoes sucked off by this thick, slimy mud, which I never recovered."

‘In 1835, Waubonsie, then more than 70 years old,
traveled to Washington, D. C. to meet with delegations from other tribes. Waubonsie had an audience with President
Andrew Jackson and addressed him as "Brother-Brave." Nothing of any great importance was accomplished
with this visit. In 1837 all the Indians were rounded up and sent to
Chicago.There, they met other bands of
Pottawatomie from Michigan and Indiana, and began a harrowing walk to Missouri
and Kansas that later became known as the "Trail of Death."’

The last Native American settlement (reservation) was located in the Evanston Township area know as Ouilmette.

1830/33 map of Chicagoimage - OAC - Online Archive of California

Between 1816-28 troops of Fort Dearborn dug up the sandbar to create a channel to the river's mouth. By 1837 most of the channel was completed that allowed growth of commerce and more local settlements to continue.image - Online Archive of California View West along the River

Bird's-eye view of the mouth of the Chicago River as it
appeared in 1893. Key to numbered buildings: 1-United States Life-saving
Station, 2-Chicago River lighthouse,

“I'm speculating that the photo was taken at Dearborn
Street on the south bank of the river at an angle that would show the water
tower and pumping station spaced as shown in the photo. The other clue is the
curve in the river that the warehouse was located on. The curve occurs around
State Street heading east. We can safely say that the warehouse building is
long gone. Look closely to
see State Street and Michigan Avenue labels on the drawing and be aware a
little artistic license has taken place. The bridge shown at Michigan Avenue
would have been the Rush Street bridge that actually crossed the river on the
diagonal starting at Michigan Ave. on the south bank and ending at Rush on the
north bank. The Michigan Avenue bridge was not built until 1920. Notice a
railroad swing bridge is pictured in the foreground. #5, the Central Warehouse,
would have been located about where Trump Tower exists today. However, the
number of floors shown in this drawing is 8 while the original photo shows only
4 with arched instead of square tops. Other photos of the river and the Wrigley
building, built in 1920, show what looks like the building in the photo with 8
floors which may have been a replacement for the original.”

- from Jeff Bransky via
Historic Chicago-Facebook

images - Online Archive of California

images - Online Archive of California The United States in 1842Murray Hudson.com

Chicagoland Area by 1850

Transportation routes in 1850 from Chicago: growth of a metropolis

Green Bay Road (Clark Street) appeared to be the main road into what was to be Lake View Township. According to the publication called 'Chicago: its history and its builders, a century of marvelous growth' taverns were like road-stops if travels wanted to go from point A to point B. The first major road-stop tavern was along Green Bay Road a short distance near to the yet to be built Old Town Hall on Halsted Street.The tavern was called Brittion. (p. 321)

Lake View like most of the lands nearest to the lakefront were composed of 'sandy soil' that included 'some gravel and 'stony soils' per this 1927 above along with a Native American settlement map as 1804.

'The framers of the Constitution did not provide for local governments. Rather, they left the matter to the states. Subsequently, early state constitutions generally conceptualized county government as an arm of the state. In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships, though in New York, New England, Wisconsin, [and in 19th century Illinois] they are called 'towns'. The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on the state constitution.' - Wikipedia

Lake View Township was not organized by 1852. It's future residents lived in Ridgeville Township from 1850-1857. In 1857 Ridgeville was divided into Evanston, Lake View, and North Chicago townships by the State of Illinois.

According to a research report from Chicago Magazine the emigrate groups to Cook County between 1870 to 1900 were either German, Irish, Swedish/Norwegian making up 1/2 of the population during this time period while the other half migrated from the East Coast.

Before there was a Lake View Township and a Evanston Township there was the Township of Ridgeville. The State of Illinois split this township in two in 1857.

An Account by Chicago History of Illinois and Chicago

'The name Ridgeville first officially appeared in 1850. Ridgeville’s first election was held on April 2, 1850 with 93 votes being cast. Ridgeville’s first town assessment took place in 1853, estimating the value of the property at $6,000.00. Among the names of Ridgeville’s first residents were: General Huntoon, Eli Gaffield, William Foster, Paul Pratt and his wife and O.A. Crain.

The 1850 census shows 443 settlers in this township (the population of Chicago at that time was about 28,000), which was approximately eleven persons per square mile. A post office with the name of Ridgeville was established at one of the taverns. However, no municipality existed yet.'

The territory (zoom) included the most of Evanston Township (City of), Rogers Park, and Lake View Township and North Chicago Township north of North Avenue. The township last no more than seven years until it was subdivided into two townships by 1857. This maps highlights taverns that would serve as stops for refreshments (for both horse and owner) and lodging such as Schulzer, Sliipy, M. Trader, and Anderson Hoods - also called The Seven Mile Tavern due to its distance for central Chicago. By 1860 the residents of the Germanic states and principalities of Europe was the largest foreign group of immigrants to Illinois(click on the year 1860). “United States census records show Illinois to have a population of 1.7 million. A total of 7,628 are African Americans. About 707,000 Illinoisans were native to the state. The largest number of non-natives came from: Ohio (131,000); German states of Europe (130,000); New York (121,000); Ireland (87,000); Pennsylvania (83,000); Indiana (62,000); Kentucky (60,000); England (41,000); Tennessee (39,000); Virginia (32,000)”.

this 1880 Rand McNally railroad map indicates the
communities of the time such as Wrights Grove, Pine Grove, Ravenswood, and Rose
Hill - there may have been others

Most of the original settlers of this area that arrived
during the same time period of Dr. Sulzer's family were from the German and
Swedish populations of Chicago and the Luxembourgers (also German speakers) from Europe who
sought expanse space and opportunity for renewal and growth without fear of
European repression and/or from Town/City of Chicago ever growing governmental regulations. Also, the
price was right! (Disregard the outlining of Lincoln Park - only drawn for
orientation purposes.)

The Price was Right!

Land value assessment per square mile as of 1836

two years after Dr. Sulzer's arrival to the Lake View area

The University of Chicago map illustration above indicated established subdivisions between 1844-1862. It is to be noted that this map was drafted in 1933 (so no Lincoln Park at the time), Sheridan Road proposed extension, and the rail lines were added to help the viewer with geography.

Land values assessment per square mile as of 1873-79 years after the incorporation of Lake View Township and 16 years before the annexation to Chicago.

1879 Encyclopedia.chicagohistory.orgmap (zoomed) show streets and communities with Lake View Township such as Pine Grove, Andersonville, Ravenswood, Bowmanville, and a community called Henry Town. Also shown are the cemeteries of Rosehill & Graceland. Also, during this time period community of Rogers Park had earned its distinction as a township seceding from Evanston Township.

The shoreline - pre development

postcards - Ebay

another typical shoreline 1903

photo - UIC via Explore Chicago Collection

Maps of the Shoreline in 1894

1894 Sanborn Fire Map view of the shoreline with street-end beaches before Sheridan Road and way before North-Lake Shore Drive north of Lincoln Park, the park

'The grand opening was on a Wednesday evening in December, 1866, and reporters from the major Chicago papers were brought to the gala affair in a huge four-horse sleigh. Hyman declared to all, “I would like you gentlemen of the press to understand that this affair will be straight to the wink of an eyelash. All the ladies are here on their honor, and Mrs. Hyman will see to it that nothing unseemly takes place.”' - exerpt from Chicagology

The Lake View House owned by Elisha Huntley and co-managed James Rees and then co-owned to be used not only as a resort but a meeting place to discuss real estate, particularly Mr. Huntley's holdings in the old community of Pine Grove beginning in 1853 until 1890-ish. I have a open petition to the 46th Chicago ward office to create a landmark status of the current garden space that will memorialize this hotel of old Lake View.

Narrative & Navigation

This has been a passion of mine for several years. This passion began with a simple inquiry of an ornate gate that surrounds a parking lot on my street. This singular inquiry lead me to learn everything I could online about the history of my neighborhood - Lake View, one of the 77 neighborhoods within the City of Chicago. Consider this topical blog as an online library of information for educators like myself who intend to teach others about this historical & robust corner of Chicago. I hope you enjoy the read and add any type of comments at the end of each post. I have a Facebook presence called 'LakeView Historical'.